A stretchable and wearable printed sensor for human body motion monitoring

A stretchable and wearable sensor was successfully screen printed for monitoring human motions. The sensor was fabricated by printing carbon nanotube (CNT) ink on a water-soluble polymer based polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) substrate. The printed sensor was transferred onto the bicep and water was used to dissolve the sacrificial PVA layer. The sensor was subjected to flexion and extension movements of the elbow to observe the capability of the sensor for monitoring body movement. The average resistance of the sensor increased by approximately 10 % for multiple flexion movements. In addition, for extension movements, a 2 % increase was observed in the base resistance, after 10 cycles. The response of the stretchable and wearable printed sensor is analyzed and presented in this paper.